heroes, monsters, perception
what is a hero?
what makes a hero a hero?
what is a hero in the eyes of society?
is it a person?
a place?
a thing?
an adjective?
is it a status capable of being attained by anyone or anything?
is it a difference in society in aspects of appearance?
mentality?
morality?
how does one visualize a hero?
is it the handsome, do-good man who saves the pretty woman in distress?
or maybe it is just the everyday civilians who are seen on TV whose praises are being sung for various reasons?
what about the senior citizen who is always sitting in their rocking chair on their front porch, telling the neighborhood children stories of their youth, always offering words of wisdom to anyone who will listen?
or is it the subconscious feeling of happiness that is felt when being praised for preforming an action above and beyond the societal expectations?
is being a hero just a feeling?
or something more?
how about a monster?
what makes a monster a monster?
what is a monster in the eyes of society?
is it a person?
a place?
a thing?
an adjective?
is it a status or label capable of being attained by anyone or anything?
is it a difference in society in aspects of appearance?
mentality?
morality?
how does one visualize a monster?
is it the ugly, evil thing hiding under the bed?
or in the closet?
or the people seen on the news for various crimes?
maybe it is the person who lives down the street who stays in their house and only peeks out the window on occasion, whom everyone assumes is shameful and hiding something socially unacceptable or distorted about themselves?
or is it the invisible shadow of doubt and depression that lingers constantly in ones subconscious?
well,
the textbook definitions are as follows;
hero- 1. a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. 2. the chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize. 3.(in mythology and folklore) a person of superhuman qualities and often semidivine origin, in particular one of those whose exploits and dealings with the gods were the subject of ancient Greek myths and legends.
monster- 1. an imaginary creature that is typically large, ugly, and frightening. 2. an inhumanly cruel or wicked person. 3. a thing or animal that is excessively or dauntingly large. 4. a congenitally malformed or mutant animal or plant.
being given this information it is questioned again:
what is a hero?
what is a monster?
though these are two very strong words of characterization they have been given a broad spectrum to cover.
yet as all aspects of life and society, they both can be reduced to the one major part of existence that exists within all beings, though is never the same.
PERCEPTION.
perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses; or a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression.
the way one person perceives a situation, event or person is never done so in the same manner as another,
and unfortunately our society as an entirety is not as open minded as the millennial generation because of the difference in upbringings and societal values and ideals.
this has resulted in a societal state of mind in which "perception is reality".
now,
what is the direct and collateral damage in which ensues?
the chaos and violence that has reached an astonishing level, and has become acknowledged and feared across the globe.
the people of our world have been drowning in the ways of the historical past which will continue to repeat itself until we can unite as a planet and open our hearts and our minds and shower each other in the immense love for one another in which we should feel on instinct as a species.
so while "we live in a world where image seems more valued than truth, struggle seems more like failure and vulnerability more like weakness",
a world where the statement "perception is reality" is inarguably relevant,
we must also remember that "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
YOU ARE READING
Things That I've Pondered
PoetryRandom thoughts that I've written at various times throughout my days that make much more sense at the time written than later:/
